Welcome!

Saskatoons - a new Super Fruit. Saskatoon berries
can be considered as one-kind of ‘Superfruit’. The word ‘Superfruit’
refers to fruit which contains high sources of antioxidants. From a
nutraceutical
perspective, antioxidant rich fruits have anti-cancer, anti-aging, and
anti-heart problem effects on human body. The benefits of antioxidant have
contributed against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, and act as a
protective guard to our immune systems.

The
ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) value is one of the methods used
to measure the total antioxidant activity in fruit. In the tables below
the ORAC values show saskatoon berries are naturally high in antioxidants
and rank highest in both fresh fruit and in fruit pulp relative to other
common fruits.

Research evidence shows that antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables
may help reduce the risk of cancers.1,2 Studies also showed that there are
potential anticarcinogenic activity of anthocyanins in fruits and fruit
products, and anthocyanins may possess multifaceted actions including
antioxidation and anticarinigenesis, and may have inhibitory effects on
colon carcinogenesis.3

Anthocyanins Show Potent Anti-Obesity Potential.....

Anthocyanins, antioxidant pigments from fruit and vegetables, have a
"significant potency" against fat cells and could be used for the
prevention of weight gain, suggests a new study from Japan.4

Saskatoon berries are exclusively only grown in Canada, with the largest
supply coming from the prairie provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and
Manitoba.

Read
more information on the nutraceutical and nutritional benefits of this
unique fruit,
Nutrition & Health.

'Listen to Rick Sawatsky research technician U. of
S. and see what all the excitement is about!'

Quote " Researchers in Michigan have found that tart
cherries, one of the parental species of dwarf cherries, contain compounds with
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Cherries have been linked to
beneficial health effects in that cherry growers, who eat six times the amount
of cherries as the average American, have a lower incidence of cancer and heart
conditions. The most active antioxidant compounds in the cherry fruit are
superior to vitamins E and C and some synthetic antioxidants. The same
researchers have speculated that the natural antioxidants in cherry fruit could
be extracted for use in food processing. It is interesting to note that
these superior antioxidants in tart cherries are anthocyanins that are
associated with the bright red color. Our dwarf cherries have a more
intense red color than Montmerency, the most commonly grown tart cherry in
Michigan. Our dwarf cherry fruit has not been tested for antioxidant
concentration, but it is reasonable to expect high levels.

These scientists also found that compounds from tart
cherry fruit have anti-inflammatory properties which supports anecdotal
information that tart cherries may relieve the pain of gout and arthritis.
A family member reports relief from gout after eating our dwarf cherry fruit.

A food scientist in Michigan reports that adding tart
cherry fruit to ground meat resulted in 50% greater reduction in the formation
of mutagenic compounds during cooking. This was compared to ground meat to
which other antioxidant compounds had been added. Dr. Alden Booren,
professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University,
says, "We found that tart cherries reduced the formation of mutagenic
compounds by 90% - a 50% greater reduction than with the other compounds.
They are the most significant source that we have found for preventing mutagen
formation in ground beef. Our trained taste testers found the cherry-beef
mixtures to be very desirable and had equal to or better flavor than those from
lean ground beef. We also found that reheated ground beef with cherries
was essentially devoid of oxidized or rancid flavors." He and other
scientists believe that the antioxidant properties of tart cherries are
responsible for these effects. For complete information, see the Cherry
Marketing Institute" end of quote.

So what
is a Nutraceutical you ask?
A nutraceutical is a food or food component considered to provide
medical or health benefits. These foods
assist in the prevention or treatment of disease. This is a new area of study but scientists are now just proving
that mom was right. She always said to
eat your fruits and vegetables. Live long and
healthy - Eat your berries!

Anthocyanin (flavonoids) briefly explained

Excerpt from: Willy Kalt,
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre
"An important group of
health-promoting phytochemicals are the flavonoids. These compounds are
particularly abundant in fruits, but also occur in vegetables. One notable group
of flavonoids are the anthocyanins. The anthocyanins are pigments - they impart
the red, blue, purple color to the peel of fruits such as Saskatoon berries,
blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, etc. A good indicator of anthocyanin
content of fruit, is the color intensity of its juice. For example, a blueberry
juice would be much more deeply colored than say a strawberry juice, due to its
higher anthocyanin content.

One important property of the
flavonoids is that they are antioxidants. This means that antioxidant compounds
like flavonoids, may provide some protection to human against the deleterious
effect of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been strongly implicated in the
development of cardiovascular disease, many types and cancers, and certain
neurodegenerative diseases."

Flavonoids have other health benefits. For example flavonoids have a blood-thinning
effect; they inhibit the aggregation of blood platelets which otherwise
contributes to the formation of blood clots, and the deposition of
atherosclerotic deposits in blood vessels.
As antioxidants, flavonoids inhibit the oxidation of LDL (low density
lipoprotein), and together these effects contribute to the general protective
properties of these compounds.

The
French Paradox, which is the unexpectedly low incidence of cardiovascular
disease in high risk groups (smokers with high fat diets) has been explained by
the high consumption of flavonoid-rich red wines in these populations.

Saskatoons appear to be an excellent source of manganese,
magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, copper and carotene. A 100 gm serving of fresh saskatoons
will
supply 88 mg. of calcium or 11 % of the Recommended Dietary Allowance. Saskatoons can be considered a better
source of calcium than red meats, vegetables and cereals.

Saskatoons supply 33.8 % of the Recommended Dietary
Allowance of manganese and 7% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of
copper.

Recent research indicates saskatoons have very high components
of phenolics, flavonols and anthocyanins.

Saskatoons are high in sugar, rich in Vitamin C, and also
contain more than three times as much iron and copper in the same weight as
raisins.

Excerpts taken from Linda Kershaw,
Botanist, Lone Pine PublishingHistorically, the native people used saskatoons for many
things. The berries treated
stomachache, liver trouble, sore eyes and the pains and bleeding of
childbirth. Dysentery, painful
menstruation and bleeding during pregnancy was treated with the inner bark or
roots. The settlers adopted the
saskatoon as a medicine too. Diarrhea
was treated with crushed green berries and ripe berry juice was said to act as
a mild laxative and to relieve upset stomach.
The inner bark was made into a brew for eye wash which treated blurred
vision from sun, dust or snow blindness.
If a pregnant woman was injured,
saskatoon root tea was immediately administered.

Black Currants Excerpts
from Pal Tamas, leading researcher and plant breeder, Sweden
Black currants can rightfully be called the King of the
Berries due to the intrinsic biological and nutrition-physiological values of
its fruits it contains several-fold higher concentrations of potassium, iron,
vitamin C. organic acids and biologically active plant phenolic compounds than
other fruits. In this respect, the
black currants constitute a distinct group among the fruits These compounds
exert a synergistic effect in the human organism.

The different plant phenolic compounds, the so-called
bioflavonoids, display a large diversity of biological functions in the human
organism. The most important of these
biological activities is the so-called vitamin P activity that has a
vasodilatory effect and also affects the flexibility of the capillaries. Research has established the preventive and
therapeutic effects of the biologically active compounds of black
currants. Furthermore, they were also
shown to stimulate the digestive processes.
It was determined that the black currant has anti-inflamatory,
anti-oxidative and weak anti-bacterial effect as well as protective effects on harmful radiation.

The biological effects of some of the biologically active
compounds of black currants surpass known chemical compounds with similar
effects. As a consequence, medicines
and raw materials for medicines based on black currant extracts have been put
on the market. Clinical studies
performed in Bulgaria, under the supervision of Tasev (1968), have shown that
it is possible to use black currants as a major therapeutic agent for the
treatment of distinct diseases, instead of the dosage of conventional drugs.

Quotes on Black Currant from
Dr. Richard St. Pierre
Native Fruit Specialist University of Saskatchewan
“Historically, black currant fruit, roots and leaves have had many medicinal
uses. Black currant fruit are very rich in vitamin C. Black currant
juice, tea and extracts have been used to treat sore throats (quinsy).
Consequently, the name “squinancy berry” was adopted in Great Britain.

The leaves and buds of European black currants have been
used as an anti-inflammatory drug.
Various North American native tribes used the roots of the native black
currant to treat many conditions including intestinal worms, kidney problems
and uterine disorders. The fruit of one
species was used a mild laxative, while early settlers used root infusions to
treat dysentery in cattle and fevers in people.

Oils extracted from leaf and flower buds of black currants
have been used in cosmetic creams, lotions and perfumes. Black currant seed is considered to be a
potential source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for the treatment of
asthma, premenstrual syndrome, skin conditions, and arthritis.

Black currant has exceptional nutritional value. Seeds are rich in both omega-3 and omega-6
fatty acids. Fresh fruit have an
abundance of vitamins A, B and C and contain between 6 and 9% sugar.

Chokecherry
(Prunus virginiana) (Excerpts from St. Pierre, 1993, Research Scientist
and Director Native Fruit Development Program, University of Saskatchewan)

Here is some history .

Chokecherry was one of the most important plants used by the
Plains Cree and Blackfoot. Just like
saskatoons, dried chokecherries were ground with stones and used in soups,
stews and pemmican . The period during
which the chokecherry was in fruit was referred to as black-cherry-moon. The Shuswap Indians mixed the fruit with
bear grease to make colorful paint for pictographs. Canadian west coast natives ate chokecherry dried fruit with
salmon or salmon eggs. The bark was
boiled along with other ingredients to produce a remedy for diarrhea. A strong, black, astringent tea was made
from boiled twigs and used to relieve fevers.
Dried roots were chewed and placed on wounds to stop
bleeding. Teas were made from the bark
or roots and used to treat coughing, malaria, stomachaches, tuberculosis and
intestinal worms. Such teas were also
used as sedatives and appetite stimulants.
The fruit were used to treat canker sores, ulcers and abscesses.

Wood of the chokecherry was used for tipi construction, bows
and arrows, skewers, diggings sticks, pipe stems and fire tongs. Navajo Indians thought of the chokecherry as
a sacred plant and used its wood to make prayer sticks.

The chokecherry was also utilized by European settlers in
North America. Parts of the chokecherry
were the basis of popular home medications.
Teas made from the bark have long been used as a sedative, and to
alleviate coughs. Extracts of the
berries and bark have been used as a flavoring agent for cough and cold
preparations. Wild cherry bark was an
officially recognized pharmaceutical from 1800  1975.